Which country do you think of when you want to visit Disneyland or another Disney park? You probably think of America, or possibly Disneyland in Paris.

But what about Tokyo? Does this location ever come across your mind?

If it doesn’t you might be persuaded to head out to Japan for a fantastic holiday with a touch of Disney thrown in. The Japan site in Tokyo has lots to offer, including the usual touch of Disney that we all know and love.

One of the most famous locations is called Disney Sea. As the name would suggest this is all to do with the sea and the ocean, and thus it makes a nice change from the usual Disney parks. You won’t be far from Disneyland itself though, because Disney Sea is just next door. It is possible to do both in one day although you won’t see everything if you do. Try and allocate a couple of days in this part of Tokyo – one for each park.

So what can you see in Disney Sea? The area is split into ports, and there are seven ports in total. These include the Lost River Delta, the Arabian Coast and the Mysterious Island. There is also the American Waterfront so you can get a taste of USA style entertainment and fun here as well.

Each port has its own special mix of attractions, including roller coasters and plenty more entertainment for the whole family to get involved in. You can ride on the Journey to the Centre of the Earth on the Mysterious Island, or take Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage – a more laid back ride the kids will love.

The American Waterfront is well done – enough so you will forget you are even in Japan. You can also explore the infamous Tower of Terror here if you dare. In fact the whole park is somewhat different from the usual Disney fare, and it provides a nice contrast to Disneyland next door. If you are travelling to Japan with the whole family, you should definitely visit Disney Sea as well.

Every country has its must see sights. And if one of them happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you know it is worth taking time out to pay a visit.

One such location in Japan is Himeji Castle. Its appearance from a distance alone captivates the attention, and you will find the pull to visit it is virtually irresistible.

But why is it so desirable as a visitor attraction?

There are two main reasons why it is very popular. Firstly many people think this is the most stunning castle in all of Japan. There are others, but none are quite as eye catching as this one. Its white walls help to mark it out as unusual, and it has earned the name ‘shirasagi-jo’ as a result. This translates into ‘white heron castle’.

The second reason is that it has survived relatively intact since it was rebuilt in the 1580s. The original castle was constructed in the early to mid 1300s and lasted nearly three hundred years before it was destroyed. This is a history which is unique among all Japanese castles, and it means it has a lot more to offer by way of original features to view.

You will be amazed at the views both of and from the castle whatever time of the year you visit. But it’s worth trying to get there in April if you can, as this is right in the thick of the cherry blossom season. And the area around the castle is known for its blossoms.

A stay in Kyoto is the best bet if you want to plan a visit to Himeji Castle, as it’s not far from there. Himeji Station is the destination to head for, and the castle is just a short distance away, ready and waiting to be explored by you. Be sure to take a camera and don’t miss the views from inside the castle itself. It’s a great way to see more of the surroundings.

And when you see the castle for yourself, you will see why Japan has regarded it as a national treasure - because it truly is.

When you first set eyes on the Tokyo Tower, you will probably rub them and wonder if you aren’t actually in Paris instead.

You see, the tower originally took its inspiration from the Eiffel Tower, so the two do not look dissimilar. The tower has been an integral part of the Tokyo skyline for some fifty years now, and millions of people have had the privilege of exploring its levels and getting a grand view from the top.

But is it your turn now? It should be, because you cannot fail to be impressed by what you find there.

If you have only seen pictures of Tokyo Tower before, you might assume that all you can do is climb to the top to see what Tokyo looks like from over a thousand feet up in the air. But the tower has some surprises in store, and they start from the moment you arrive at its foot.

The very bottom of the tower has plenty to entertain you even if you decide not to go any further. For example there are galleries and museums here to browse round, and if that whets your appetite you can look forward to having a bite to eat in a restaurant too – all underneath the towering structure itself.

If you decide to take the best trip of all and head up the tower, there are two points at which you can get out and take a look around and across the city of Tokyo. If you want to go right to the top you will have to buy a special ticket which permits you to do so; otherwise simply buy a ticket for the first observation point the tower has to offer.

Needless to say if you are going to see the Tokyo Tower you should really head for the very top if you can. The pictures you can take from here with your camera will certainly earn their place in your photo album, so why not go the whole distance? You’ll be disappointed if you don’t.

As the Northern Marianas struggles with tourism in a freefall because far fewer Japanese are traveling to Saipan, consider this: Japan wants 10 million inbound tourists in 2010. And Tokyo is sparing no yen to reach the target.

Since its launch four years ago, the national government's Yokoso Japan (visit Japan) campaign has seen its budget nearly double. In 2003, Japan spent Y2 billion, or $17.5 million to lure foreigners to the country. That amount increased to Y3.6 billion, or $31.5 million, last year. Tourism accounts for six percent of Japan's national income.

“Here in Japan, we rely more heavily on industries other than tourism. But we believe inbound tourism has a great potential to revitalize the economy,” says Tetsuro Hirata, senior director of the Japanese government's international tourism division, which is part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Currently, international tourism in Japan lacks balance. In 2005, for instance, the country sent 17.4 million travelers overseas but received only 6.73 million foreign visitors.

The disparity is reflected in travel spending. According to a 2004 study by the ministry, the travel industry generates Y24.4 trillion, or $213.7 billion, a year for the national economy. But only 6.7 percent of the total amount is contributed by foreign tourists. In dollar terms that is $14 billion a year.

The sizeable remainder is spent by the Japanese. This includes Y21.1 trillion, or $184.8 billion, on domestic trips, and Y1.7 trillion, or $14.89 billion, on preparations for trips abroad.

Tourism has a huge economic ripple effect, notes Hirata. In addition to the direct impact of travel spending, tourism creates jobs and production demand.

To increase inbound tourism, the Japan government launched Yokoso Japan-literally, “Welcome to Japan”-campaign in 2003. The goal: to have 10 million foreign tourists visiting Japan in 2010.

The campaign initially targeted five main markets: South Korea, China, the United States, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany were added in the second year. Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Thailand followed in the third year.

Hirata said there is no plan to add any more to these so-called “priority markets.” The 12 countries account for 90 percent of total tourist arrivals to Japan.

South Korea is Japan's largest tourism market. Three in 10 foreigners visiting Japan are from its closest neighbor. Taiwan is the second largest, representing 18 percent of tourist arrivals to Japan. China (excluding Hong Kong) and the United States share the third spot with 11 percent each of the market share.

The Yokoso Japan campaign has been a success, says Hirata. International arrivals have hit a new record each year since 2003. The six million mark was reached for the first time in 2004. The following year, the tourism industry set a new benchmark of 6.73 million visitors.

To achieve the target of 10 million inbound travelers in 2010, arrivals must grow by 8.2 percent a year from 2005. The Yokoso Japan campaign is on track to reach this goal. Arrivals increased to 7.3 million in 2006, or by 9.6 percent from the previous year. A period-to-period comparison shows that arrivals have grown 13 percent as of August 2007.

The challenge for Japan now is to reach out to the high spending business traveler, even as it attempts to break from its image as an expensive destination.

“Business travelers, of course, have a greater economic impact-they stay in good hotels, eat good meals.. But the young travelers are potential repeat visitors. Once they start earning their own money, they will come back and spend more,” Hirata says.

Japan has made it a national goal to become Asia's top venue for international conventions. At the same time, the country's tourism board has launched the “Affordable Japan” campaign, offering tips to budget travelers.

For more information click here

Tourism New Zealand is launching the largest New Zealand promotional event ever staged in Japan to coincide with a $1.8 million campaign.

Aimed to give the Japanese a fresh take on what New Zealand has to offer, the New Zealand Paradise Week will promote New Zealand's food and wine, fashion, music and the most up to date activities for tourists from November 17-24.

"This event is an important part of the work that Tourism New Zealand is doing to try and turn round the Japanese market, which has been in decline in recent years," Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton said.

Hickton says Tourism New Zealand is trying to shift Japanese people's perception away from thinking of New Zealand as a place with a lot of sheep and beautiful scenery, to a vibrant, modern and sophisticated destination

Tourism Minister Damien O'Connor will open the event at a gala dinner featuring Hayley Westenra and a fashion show including fashion designers Nom D, Huffer, Cybele and Sabatini White.

A unique part of the week will be the gifting of a taonga, a miniature double-hulled waka carved by Hokianga artist Will Ngakuru, by Tourism Minister Damien O'Connor on behalf of New Zealand to the Japanese government.

The Far North District Council and Te Hua o te Kawariki Trust have also agreed to work together to plant a native tree for every Japanese visitor who visits the reserve till the plot is full.

The week coincides with a new $1.8 million tourism campaign launching into the Japanese market.

Since the beginning of the campaign there has been a surge in interest in the Japanese version of newzealand.com with visits jumping from an average of 9,000 visits a week to over 80,000 last week.

For more information click here

Mount Fuji is with 3776 metres Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people.

Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano, which most recently erupted in 1708. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days.

The easiest way to view Mount Fuji is from the train on a trip along the Tokaido Line between Tokyo and Osaka. If you take the shinkansen from Tokyo in direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, the best view of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from around Shin-Fuji Station on the right hand side of the train, about 40 to 45 minutes after leaving Tokyo.

Note however, that clouds and poor visibility often block the view of Mount Fuji, and you have to consider yourself lucky if you get a clear view of the mountain. Visibility tends to be better during the colder seasons of the year than in summer, and in the early morning and late evening hours.

If you want to enjoy Mount Fuji at a more leisurely pace and from a nice natural surrounding, you should head to the Fuji Five Lake region at the northern foot of the mountain, or to Hakone, a nearby hot spring resort.

Mount Fuji is officially open for climbing during July and August via several routes.

31 May 2007

The first guidebooks to gay and lesbian life in East Asia have just been updated and expanded to include contemporary attractions and entertainment for gay and lesbian visitors to 46 Asian destinations including Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei.

Where exactly is the shrine to the 2-ton wooden phallus? Do Love Motels allow same sex couples? Which lesbian bars welcome foreign women? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in the new 128 page Utopia Guide to Japan.

While Japan has had gay guidebooks circulating since the 18th century (and even a modern guidebook to gay life designed for Japanese heterosexuals), it is only recently that the English-speaking international traveller has been allowed access to the Japan's vibrant subculture.

The Utopia Guide to Japan (2nd Edition) attempts to blast away at popular misconceptions that Japan is prohibitively expensive and is unfriendly to foreigners. On the contrary, the Utopia Guide suggests that after suffering from more than a decade of economic flatlining, Japan is cheaper to visit than most major American cities.

The authors go even further to suggest that current warm welcome for foreigners (and their loose change) is evidenced by English signage posted almost everywhere you go, including signs in Japanese saunas cautioning against "hair dyeing and gum chewing."

Meanwhile, if you want know how to find the Erotic Art Museum in Seoul? Just what goes on at a Jjimjilbang? Ofwhich gay saunas "don't ask don't tell" G.I.s visit? the latest edition of the Utopia Guide to South Korea might be a good jumping off point for your discovery.

According to the Utopia Guide, South Korean men, with their natural machismo, special brand of brotherly "kinship" and easy-going metrosexuality, have recently become sex symbols around the region appealing to both sexes.

Apparently, there have never been laws prohibiting homosexuality in Korea and any attempts to enact official discrimination have been overturned through the efforts of vocal gay and human rights activists, according to the new guide.